Healthy Living: Could you have diabetes and not know it?

AUSTIN -- The rate of diabetes in Texas has been growing for years, and it’s now estimated that nearly one Texan in 10 (9.7 percent) has been diagnosed with the disease. In addition, according to Richard Kropp, information specialist in the diabetes prevention and control program at the Texas Department of State Health Services, there are a half-million people who have the disease but don’t know it, along with scores of adults who are on the edge.

“There are about a million people, according to some of the survey results that we have, that have been diagnosed with pre-diabetes,” Kropp said.

Type 2 diabetes is the most common type. Kropp said risk factors include family history, age, race, and obesity.

“We recommend opportunistic screening,” he suggested. “That means that, when you’re in your doctor’s office for a physical or other reasons to visit your doctor, to ask about your risk for diabetes, and there are a number of simple tests to determine whether you have diabetes or pre-diabetes.”

For overweight people with pre-diabetes, losing even a small amount of weight and increasing physical activity can delay or prevent onset of the disease.

Those at risk across the country are being urged today to get themselves screened.